Dream Daddy: Awakening
by Lilly K
Summary: At the end of Robert's best possible storyline, he tells you he needs to work on some things by himself. This story begins with Robert taking care of one of his biggest regrets. CN for Sui. I highly advise being familiar with Joseph's cult ending before reading this story.
1. Robert's Epilogue

**Dream Daddy: Awakening**

Robert's Epilogue

The rotating beam of a distant lighthouse cut through the still darkness that had settled over Maple Bay. Ships docked safely in harbor glinted as the light passed over two men by the side of the water. The man in the leather jacket approached the other with shoulders arched wide and feet spread apart, like a cat facing down some predator five times its size.

"So you came," Robert spoke to the man who combed his fingers casually through a neatly groomed tuft of yellow hair as the light moved away from the spot where they stood.

"Dearest, lost little Robert. So stoic. So resolute… look at you!" Joseph gestured with a flourish of his hand, "Why of course I've come, you silly boy. This is my domain. But of course, I'd come for you every time, don't you recall?" Joseph crooned, and twisted the last word into a laugh.

Robert glared at him, unblinking, disgust welling up inside him. And to think this cruel silhouette before him was a man Robert once thought he loved.

"Have you finally tired of your pitiful attempts to flee from damnation? Have your narcotics failed to lull you into another stupor? Has your whiskey soured? And, forgive me for plucking the low hanging fruit, but I can't fail to mention…" Joseph smirked, "You've realized that the sex can't measure up to what we had, haven't you?" He regarded Robert with a hungry self-satisfaction. "So you've come back to me. But, dear Robert, what's the matter? You look so tense. There is no cause to fear me—I offer you my forgiveness. Submit to me again, and find … bliss."

Robert felt a shot of chill run up from the soles of his feet as Joseph spoke that last word. He pushed back images of their bygone passions, feelings that Joseph could evoke with just the right inflection on a single syllable.

"Well you're right about one thing," Robert barked, "I won't be running away anymore. From my problems, or from you. I realize I can't change what we've done—what I've done. I can't undo the damage to the people we've hurt, and I can't ever make up for it. You can keep my sodding past, but what matters is that from now on, I'm taking charge of my present and future. Because now…" Robert's dark eyes blaze as he pulls out his whittling knife, "I'm gonna put you in the ground where you belong."

Joseph raised an eyebrow, smirk still painted on his pale face. "We both know you're not a killer, Small. But it should be amusing to watch you wrestle with your tedious conscience," he spread his arms wide, "No matter what I said, how I touched you, how you purred for me and called me Master, I could never convince you to take a life. Not outright, anyway. Inconvenient, but endearing, really. So, take your best shot. If you get all that aggression out without ruining my clothes, I could be persuaded to enact a more pleasant punishment."

Robert knew that if he hesitated any longer, he risked losing his nerve. He hadn't been drinking since his daughter's visit, and being sober made this feel even harder. He lunged forward, slashing his blade down at Joseph's neck. Joseph stepped back gracefully just in time, but Robert was ready. His arm and body moved forward together in a lunge. The tip of the knife grazed against the skin of Joseph's chin.

Joseph continued to dodge, putting a finger to the cut where it began to draw blood. His cool facade was slipping away. He had trouble keeping up with Robert's attacks and masking the icy anger from his expression. The tone of his voice wavered too.

"I gave you every chance to see reason. I've been generous to you, even kind, but you leave me no choice. Still, you will be a lovely thrall."

Robert's blade punctured Joseph's hand. Joseph held his wound over the water's edge, letting his blood trickle into the ocean.

The boardwalk began to sway. The lamp in the lighthouse flickered out.

Dark limbs emerged from the bay, squeezing up between slats of the boardwalk and snapping them in half, stretching toward them from every side of the harbor. Joseph took advantage of the distraction and wrested Robert's knife from his hand. Robert fumbled with the rim of his boot for a hidden blade, but Joseph was too quick. He kicked Robert down, and the slimy, shimmering black appendages surrounded them, pinning Robert's arms and legs to the ground. Joseph raised Robert's whittling knife above his head, pushing his knee into Robert's chest.

"Such potential, wasted. You could have been a part of something so pure. So much greater than yourself. But you refused me. And now you die alone. Goodbye, darling Robert." Joseph brought the blade down, and a loud "BANG!" cracked through the end of Joseph's words.

"I'm… not alone anymore." Robert Gritted his teeth.

"BANG, BANG!"

"Honey, one shot to the head is fine. He's an evil priest, not a zombie. Three is just overkill."

"You alright, dad?"

"Yeah, Val. C'mere!"

Robert shoved Joseph's body aside and hugged his daughter for a long time.

"Dad, this is my girlfriend, Liz."

"She looks just like the pictures," Robert pushed himself up to see a short woman with thick dark hair pointing a camera at the receding limbs that seemed to be drawing themselves back into the ocean.

Liz nods in their general direction, "I'd say it's nice meeting you if not for all of this Lovecraftian shit."

Val reloads her pistol, "This isn't really how I pictured introducing you to the family. But now that the weird shit is over, how about we go somewhere quiet and do this properly?"

"Aah! It's moving!" Liz shrieks, dropping the camera to reflexively point at Joseph's body.

Val fires two more shots into Joseph's back as his corpse begins to melt away and trickle out towards the bay.

"Damn, damn, DAMN! The camera won't turn on!"

"Ok." Val helps her father, "That is it. We are leaving now!"

The three of them manage to pile onto Val's motorcycle and speed away from Maple Bay without looking back.


	2. Mary's Epilogue

**Dream Daddy: Awakening**

Mary's Epilgue

"…And that's how it all went down," Robert sat on the edge of the couch cushion, leaning over his knees looking at his incredulous friend. "Liz got a lot of proof on film, but we found out the camera's internal memory was smashed to little shiny pieces when we finally got it to a computer. It looks like you're just going to have to take my word on it this time. But yeah, that's why Joseph's been missing."

Daddy Character laughed, "The day I believe that whopper is the day Mary stops hitting on strangers for free booze. What do you think this is, my first rodeo?"

"Yeah, yeah, I can see based on my past why you'd think that… Hey. Speakin of Mary. You should come with me and Val to help with the exorcism."

"Exorcism?" Daddy raised an eyebrow. He never passed up an opportunity to go along with one of Robert and Mary's gags. "Sure, why not. Got any extra Bibles?"

"Uh… I was hoping you would have one."

"Actually, I think Mary's house is full of them. That is, if demons don't mind being expelled by an Extreme Teen Study Bible with motivational poster quotes written in the margins by impressionable youth group members."

"A Bible's a Bible. It'll work fine." Robert grunts before taking a swig of his glass of diet cola.

He gets up and leads Daddy across the street, where Val is already waiting with Mary.

Mary looks absolutely horrible. She's passed out drunk outside of Jim and Kim's looking better than she looks right now. Her eyes are swollen and red, and her face looks shriveled. She looks like she is one wrong glance away from bursting into tears.

Robert puts a hand on Mary's shoulder. "Hey… it's alright. We're gonna save your kids. Don't worry. Daddy and I will always have your back."

Mary grabs Robert, Daddy, even Val into a very constricting hug.

"My… kids. It's been so long. I had given up hope."

"It's not too late," Val said, holding up a sleek new copy of the Bible with some note paper stuffed inside. "Liz is a journalist. She did a little digging into some local arcana, and we know just what to do.

Daddy couldn't help but think to himself that this was quite some performance, even for Mary and Robert. And Robert's daughter was so convincing too. If only Amanda could have been home to see this.

Mary let them all out of the hug, and caught her breath. "Alright. Let's do this," she said, clutching the sides of her ribcage. She lead the group inside to Joseph's bedroom, and pulled a patterned rug away to reveal a large cellar door built into the floor.

The crafting work was excellent, Daddy thought to himself. He didn't even know the Christiansens had a basement. Maybe they didn't tell people about it because they kept a bunch of kink stuff down there…

Sure enough, Mary pulled the door open, and they were greeted with a dimly lit scene that looked like a sex dungeon. Daddy certainly wasn't one to kink shame, but all 4 of Mary's kids were sitting down there in a circle of salt. Even the baby. This was going a little too far for a bit, even for her.

Val thrusts a Bible from her shoulder bag into Daddy's hands, and hands another one to Robert. Robert and Val step forward, Mary hangs back, hands close to her face, elbows held tightly in towards her body.

One of the children speaks up, "Mother, have you brought us something to eat? It's so lonely down here. Where is our Father?"

The twins chorus in unison, "Yes, give them to us, let us feed."

"Joseph is gone you little pisscreants," Robert says, waving the good book in Chris's face. "We've come to send you four back to hell."

Crish, the baby, giggles, and looks up at Robert with big, black eyes.

"So the priest is dead?" Chris tips his head up and laughs. "Well then, we will not fight."

"Yesssss," the twins hiss, "Existence as a human child without sacrificesssss is dull. Set us aflame, and send us on our way quickly."

"Give me back my children, you abominations!" Mary yells, brandishing the bible at arm's length.

"Give them back? Give them back!? Well, alright. If you insist…" The twins' eyes flash black, and their teeth extend into cruel, pointed smiles, "Mommy."

"But be warned," Christian bites his lip, "That bringing them back will only seal your own doom, mommy. And yours," he giggles, pointing to Robert and Daddy. "If Joseph's blood lives on, the cycle will repeat itself. As inevitably as every drop of rain finds its way to the bottom of the sea. And when that day comes, when your child tempts us with sweet and wonderful offerings, we will return to Maple Bay to feast upon your descendants."

"Enough! Just give me my kids," Mary growls, "Right now! Get ye hence, in the name of Jesus, begone!"

"Have it your way, mother. We take our leave of this world, then." Chris bowed his head, and the children's bodies collapsed.

Daddy's eyes darted from Mary, to the kids, to Val, to Robert, "What the hell is happening?"

Val knelt down beside the bodies and started to take the children's pulses. "Not good. Call emergency dispatch, now!" she flung a cell phone at Mary, and started CPR on Chris.

Daddy knelt down next to Christie and took her pulse. It was very weak. This wasn't some super elaborate ruse Mary and Robert had cooked up after all, this was real!

Emergency crews arrived quickly. They were able to resuscitate the baby, but Christian, Christie, and Chris were all rushed to the hospital. Mary had given up on holding the tears in at this point, and was absolutely bawling her eyes out. Robert and Daddy tried comforting her as best as they could, and everyone in the cul-de-sac came to support them. The ER crew was able to stabilize Mary's kids, but they remained unconscious. Weeks later, Chris woke up screaming that he was drowning. He was admitted to a psychiatric ward. The twins were later determined to be brain dead.

Mary started a new life out in Tuscon with little Crish, far enough from the coastline to never see a ship again. Robert and Daddy visited often, and even had their wedding out at Mary's place. Years passed.

One day in the heat of summer, Mary was sitting in her parlor with one leg over the side of the couch watching an episode of Pimp That Medieval Tapestry, when the phone rang.

"Yes, Mrs. Christiansen? This is Dr. Warren, from St. Joseph's home for the-"

"Is my son alright?"

"W-well, I've just called to say he's been making some progress."

"He has?" Mary dropped her wine glass.

"Yes. In fact, he said he wanted to talk to you. I know you requested that our contact be kept to a minimum, but that is the reason for this call. Is it alright if I put Chris on the line?"

"He's been talking? But-Of… of course. Put him on." Mary said, clenching her hands.

"Mom?" Asks a voice on the other side of the telephone. He sounds so much older, Mary thought to herself. So grown up.

"Yes, sweetheart, it's me." She held the phone to her ear in both hands.

"Thanks for setting us free, mom. Things might seem sad, but we're free now. You did the right thing." Chris hung up the phone before his mother could respond. She wanted to call him back, but all she did was slump into the couch, crying until Crish came home from school. She didn't want to tell him what was wrong. Three weeks later, Chris killed himself at the group home.


	3. The End

**Dream Daddy: Awakening**

The End

Years later…

"I can't believe you talked me into this," Crish whistled as the two young men watched the sun set together, "But … it's actually really nice."

"See? Nothing so scary about this stuff," the olive skinned one smiled to his blond friend. "Remember that time you didn't want to come camping just the two of us alone? We both know how _that_ turned out." His eyes danced playfully.

"You're right, Jace," Crish breathed, "You've really helped me find my confidence. I mean, it's not just anyone that knows all the stuff I've told you. I've got a weird past, but I don't want to carry it with me all the time. You've helped me let go," he took Jace's hand. "So… thanks. And thanks for bringing me out here. The ocean is actually pretty beautiful."

"We keep each other's secrets," Jace nodded, and kissed him on the cheek. "I mean, most people would probably think I'm weird for being conceived in a lab. Compared to that, nightmares and wetting the bed is pretty vanilla."

Crish laughed. "I guess so."

"If half of the stuff that happened to your family happened to mine, I'd probably have a good reason to be a little nervous trying new things. As it is, worms freak me out just because they're slimy and evil and don't have any eyes," Jace continued, making himself uncomfortable just describing a worm.

"Fear not, mi amor, I shall protect you from the foul creatures of the soil!" Crish twirled Jace into his arms. Jace erupted in a fit of giggles.

"Ok, ok, that's enough margaritas for you, mister!" Jace pushed Crish's glass away.

"Aw, come on, you're the designated driver! That means _I'm_ … the designated drinker!" Crish put his hands on Jace's hips. Jace bit his lip. "How can I say no to you? But-"

"Hey, Jace," Crish put down the margarita, "I've been meaning to ask. What's up with that panda pin on your lapel? Are you a proud donor to the World Wildlife Federation or something? You never take it off."

"Oh," Jace picks up his collar to look at it, "That's from my big sis. She gave it to me when she moved away to Paris to work for the fashion industry. Something to remember her by. So yeah, I pretty much wear it all the time."

"Wish I had something to wear to remember mom," Crish turned away from Jace and leaned his elbows on the side of the boat. "She was the only family I ever really knew."

Jace put his arms around Crish from behind and hugged him close. "It must be tough," he said, "But you've got me."

The sun disappeared over the horizon. Crish turned to face Jace and hugged him back, "With you, I think I'll be ok."

Their relaxing night on the rental boat carried on with stories, questions, and a couple of double dog dares. In a few hours, Jace fell asleep with his head on Crish's lap. Crish stroked the young man's hair before turning to look down into the dark water again. Maple Bay really was such a wonderful place. It was so lovely, but he knew it would be impossible to ignore the voice that stretched out over the surface of the waves and called to him. He couldn't turn away from it forever.


End file.
